Heat exchanger having uneven flowing paths

ABSTRACT

A heat exchanger includes three plates disposed one above the other or superposed with each other, for forming one or more conduits between the upper and the middle plates and for forming one or more ducts between the middle and the lower plates, and for forming one or more channels below the lower plate, the plates include an opening communicating and coupled to the conduits and the ducts for receiving a medium, and the include an orifice communicating and coupled to the channel formed below the lower plate for receiving another medium and for separating the media from each other, and for allowing the media to have different flowing quantity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, and more particularly to a heat exchanger having two or more different or uneven fluid flowing paths or passages having different cross section areas or different volumes for guiding and allowing the heat medium and/or other heat exchanging fluids to flow through the fluid flowing paths or passages with different flowing speeds and/or different contact areas, and for facilitating the heat exchanging effect.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Typical heat exchangers comprise a receptacle including a chamber formed therein for receiving a heat medium, such as water or fluid, and an inlet and an outlet provided therein for allowing the heat medium or water or fluid to flow into and out of the chamber of the receptacle. The receptacle further includes a number of plates or boards or housings disposed therein, and superposed with each other, and each having a wavy structure arranged to allow the heat medium or water or fluid to flow through the wavy plates or boards or housings, and to allow the heat medium or water or fluid to be heat exchanged indirectly with the other heat medium within the chamber of the receptacle.

The formation or the provision of the wavy structure of the plates or boards or housings is arranged for increasing the contacting area between the plates or boards or housings and the heat media, and for increasing the heat exchanging effect. The plates or boards or housings of the receptacle further includes one or more openings or passages formed therein, for controlling or guiding the heat medium to suitably flow through the plates or boards or housings.

The plates or boards or housings may be disposed and superposed with each other, and the plates or boards or housings may be randomly or selectively disposed one above the other. Normally, two flowing paths or passages are formed in the receptacle and include the same cross section area or the same volume for receiving two different heat exchanging fluids and for allowing the different heat exchanging fluids to evenly flow through the fluid flowing paths or passages with the same flowing speed and for allowing the different heat exchanging fluids to uniformly contacted with each other.

However, the heat dissipating or absorbing or exchanging rate of the different heat exchanging fluids, such as water, heat or cold media, or the like may be different from each other, such that the heat exchanging rate between the different heat exchanging fluids may be different, and such that the heat exchanging effect may not be facilitated.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional heat exchanging flowing paths or passages for the heat exchangers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger including two or more different or uneven fluid flowing paths or passages having different cross section areas or different volumes for guiding and allowing the heat medium and/or other heat exchanging fluids to flow through the fluid flowing paths or passages with different flowing speeds and/or different contact areas, and for facilitating the heat exchanging effect.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a heat exchanger comprising a first plate, a second plate disposed below the first plate for forming at least one conduit between the first and the second plates, and a third plate disposed below the second plate for forming at least one duct between the third and the second plates, and for forming at least one channel below the third plate, the first and the second and the third plates include an opening communicating and coupled to the conduit formed between the first and the second plates and the duct formed between the third and the second plates for receiving a first medium, and the first and the second and the third plates include an orifice communicating and coupled to the channel formed below the third plate for receiving a second medium and for separating the first medium and the second medium from each other, and for allowing the first medium to have a greater flowing quantity than that of the second medium.

The first and the second and the third plates each includes a wavy structure having a number of depressions formed between a number of bulges, and the depressions of the first plate are disposed above the bulges of the second plate for forming the conduit between the first and the second plates, and the depressions of the second plate are disposed above the bulges of the third plate for forming the duct between the second and the third plates.

A first blocking member is disposed between the first and the second plates and arranged around the orifice of the plates, and a second blocking member is disposed between the second and the third plates and arranged around the orifice of the plates for blocking and separating the conduit and the duct from the orifice of the plates and for preventing the first medium from flowing into the orifice of the plates and for allowing only the second medium to flow into the orifice of the plates.

The first and the second and the third plates form a first plate set, the heat exchanger further includes a second plate set having a first plate disposed below and secured to the third plate of the first plate set for forming the channel between the third plate of the first plate set and the first plate of the second plate set.

A number of blocking members are disposed and secured between the third plate of the first plate set and the first plate of the second plate set and arranged around the opening of the plates for blocking and separating the channel from the opening of the plates and for preventing the second medium from flowing into the opening of the plates and for allowing only the first medium to flow into the opening of the plates.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view illustrating a heat exchanger in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view illustrating two of the heat exchanging boards or plates of the heat exchanger that are superposed with each other;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the heat exchanger; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial perspective view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the operation of the heat exchanger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-2, a heat exchanger 1 in accordance with the present invention comprises one or more heat exchanging assemblies or plate sets 10 each including three heat exchanging boards or plates 11, 12, 13 disposed and superposed with each other for allowing the upper or first plate 11 to be disposed above the middle or second plate 12 which is disposed below the upper or first plate 11 and disposed above the lower or third plate 13. The plates 11-13 each includes a wavy structure 20 arranged to allow the heat medium or water or fluid to flow through the wavy boards or plates 11-13 with an increased contacting area, and to allow the heat medium or water or fluid to be heat exchanged with the other heat medium, such as ambient air, other heat media or water or fluid or the like.

The formation or the provision of the wavy structure 20 of the boards or plates 11-13 is provided for increasing the contacting area between the heat media flowing through the boards or plates 11-13, and for increasing the heat exchanging effect. For example, the boards or plates 11-13 each includes one or more depressions 21, 23, formed or defined between one or more bulges 22, 24, 26 respectively, in which the depressions 21 of the upper or first plate 11 are arranged and secured and disposed above the bulges 24 of the middle or second plate 12 for forming one or more conduits 30 between the upper or first plate 11 and the middle or second plate 12.

The conduits 30 formed between the upper or first plate 11 and the middle or second plate 12 are communicating or coupled with each other and provided for receiving various cold or heat media therein. Similarly, the depressions 23 of the middle or second plate 12 are arranged and secured and disposed above the bulges 26 of the third or lower plate 13 for forming one or more ducts 31 between the middle or second plate 12 and the third or lower plate 13, and also for forming one or more channels 32 below the third or lower plate 13. The depressions 25 of the third or lower plate 13 are arranged and secured and disposed above the bulges 22 of the upper or first plate 11 of the other or the lower set 10 for forming the channels 32 between the third or lower plate 13 and the upper or first plate 11 of the other lower set 10.

The ducts 31 formed between the middle or second plate 12 and the third or lower plate 13 are also communicating or coupled with each other and provided for receiving various cold or heat media therein. Similarly, the channels 32 formed below the third or lower plate 13 are also communicating or coupled with each other and provided for receiving various cold or heat media therein. The heat media may be selected from water, various fluid, ambient air, or other heat media.

The plates 11-13 each further includes one or more openings 14 and one or more orifices 15 formed in such as the corner areas thereof, and aligned with each other, for controlling or guiding the heat medium to suitably flow through the openings 14 or the orifices 15 of the boards or plates 11-13. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the openings 14 of the plates 11-13 are communicating or coupled to both the conduits 30 that are formed between the upper or first plate 11 and the middle or second plate 12 and the ducts 31 that are formed between the middle or second plate 12 and the third or lower plate 13, for receiving one of the cold or heat media 80 therein, such as water or other fluid.

The orifices 15 of the plates 11-13 are communicating or coupled to the channels 32 that are formed below the third or lower plate 13, or between the third or lower plate 13 and the upper or first plate 11 of the other lower set 10 for receiving the other cold or heat media 88 therein, such as ambient air or other heat media that are different from the cold or heat media 80 flowing through the conduits 30 and the ducts 31 of the plates 11-13. The cold or heat media 80, 88 may thus flow through the conduits 30 and the ducts 31 and the channels 32 of the plates 11-13 respectively, but will not be mixed or blended with each other, for heat exchanging with each other.

For example, as also shown in FIG. 1, a number of blocking members 17 are disposed or secured between the third plate 13 of one or first set 10 and the first plate 11 of the other or second set 10 and arranged around the openings 14 of the plates 11-13 for blocking and separating the channels 32 from the openings 14 of the plates 11-13 and thus for preventing the other cold or heat media 88 from flowing into the openings 14 of the plates 11-13, and for allowing only the cold or heat media 80 to flow into the openings 14 of the plates 11-13.

Similarly, as also shown in FIG. 1, a number of other blocking members 18 are disposed or secured between the first and the second and the third plates 11-13 of each set 10 and arranged around the orifices 15 of the plates 11-13 for blocking and separating the conduits 30 and the ducts 31 from the orifices 15 of the plates 11-13 and thus for preventing the cold or heat media 80 from flowing into the orifices 15 of the plates 11-13, and for allowing only the other cold or heat media 88 to flow into the orifices 15 of the plates 11-13.

The first cold or heat medium 80 may flow through the conduits 30 and the ducts 31 and the openings 14 of the plates 11-13 respectively, and the second cold or heat medium 88 may flow through the channels 32 and the orifices 15 of the plates 11-13 respectively, and the first and the second cold or heat media 80, 88 may be heat exchanged with each other via the plates 11-13 that are preferably made of excellent heat exchanging or conductive materials, such as metal, aluminum, copper, or the like.

It is to be noted that the conduits 30 and the ducts 31 of the plates 11-13 may include a volume greater or more than, about twice of, that of the channels 32 of the plates 11-13 for allowing the first cold or heat medium 80 to have a greater flowing quantity than that of the second cold or heat medium 88, and for allowing the cold or heat medium 80 to have a greater contact area with the other cold or heat medium 88, and thus for allowing the cold or heat media 80, 88 of different heat exchanging characteristics, such as the different heat dissipating or absorbing or exchanging rate, to flow through the conduits 30 and the ducts 31 of the plates 11-13 and the channels 32 of the plates 11-13 that have different volumes or cross sections or areas.

The heat exchanger in accordance with the present invention may include a number sets 10 of plates 11-13 alternatively superposed with each other. The plates 11-13 each preferably includes a mirror symmetric structure or identical structure to allow the plates 11-13 to be made with the same mold device (not shown), such that the manufacturing cost for the heat exchanger may be suitably decreased.

Accordingly, the heat exchanger in accordance with the present invention includes two or more different or uneven fluid flowing paths or passages having different cross section areas or different volumes for guiding and allowing the heat medium and/or other heat exchanging fluids to flow through the fluid flowing paths or passages with different flowing speeds or flowing quantities and/or different contact areas, and for facilitating the heat exchanging effect.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. 

1. A heat exchanger comprising: a first plate, a second plate disposed below said first plate for forming at least one conduit between said first and said second plates, and a third plate disposed below said second plate for forming at least one duct between said third and said second plates, and for forming at least one channel below said third plate, said first and said second and said third plates including an opening communicating and coupled to said at least one conduit formed between said first and said second plates and said at least one duct formed between said third and said second plates for receiving a first medium, and said first and said second and said third plates including an orifice communicating and coupled to said at least one channel formed below said third plate for receiving a second medium and for separating said first medium and said second medium from each other, and for allowing said first medium to have a greater flowing quantity than that of said second medium.
 2. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and said second and said third plates each includes a wavy structure having a plurality of depressions formed between a plurality of bulges, and said depressions of said first plate are disposed above said bulges of said second plate for forming said at least one conduit between said first and said second plates, and said depressions of said second plate are disposed above said bulges of said third plate for forming said at least one duct between said second and said third plates.
 3. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first blocking member is disposed between said first and said second plates and arranged around said orifice of said plates, and a second blocking member is disposed between said second and said third plates and arranged around said orifice of said plates for blocking and separating said at least one conduit and said at least one duct from said orifice of said plates and for preventing said first medium from flowing into said orifice of said plates and for allowing only said second medium to flow into said orifice of said plates.
 4. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and said second and said third plates form a first plate set, said heat exchanger further includes a second plate set having a first plate disposed below and secured to said third plate of said first plate set for forming said at least one channel between said third plate of said first plate set and said first plate of said second plate set.
 5. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 4, wherein a plurality of blocking members are disposed and secured between said third plate of said first plate set and said first plate of said second plate set and arranged around said opening of said plates for blocking and separating said at least one channel from said opening of said plates and for preventing said second medium from flowing into said opening of said plates and for allowing only said first medium to flow into said opening of said plates. 